When does Predators take place?

[SpaceKase]

I wouldn't worry too much about the iPad. The co-ordinates are for Chile and Mexico. They don't appear to be references to the earlier flicks (even if that might've been the intent).

! You scooped me, sir! I just mentioned those bogus coords in another dorky thread. That's some ol' graphic's dept shenanigans, right there. Don't they know how passionate we are?? 

Yeah man, there's been this massive demonstration going on up here today, with explosions and honking and shouting and helicopters, I can't get the opening scene of the Running Man out of my head. I've been super distracted just trying to keep up with events and check in on peeps, both out there demonstrating, and scared loved ones who are just freaked out, my cat included.

But overall there's been a crazy outpouring of support, love, and positivity, The incredible solidarity marches and demonstrations from out of Africa, Japan, the UK, Germany, South America, the marches in Melbourne and Sydney, the Hakas out from New Zealand, it's all been... overwhelming, but it really feels like something huge is actually happening. It's a lot for the 'ol wee little noggin to process, and transitioning off some adhd meds, damn, I feel more scattered than a blast pattern from the Hicks' Family Shotgun.

Okay dude, but when your excuses start getting this nuanced, you gotta start to think... Maybe you just like drinking and it's not about the predator monster after all.

Hey!!!

I resemble that remark!!!

X'D hahaha, no judgement sir, no judgement.

"therapy through mapping fictional spacetimes"...I like that!  Lol.  It's just fun working on this kind of stuff and digging into the lore.  You should see my Stargate timeline...lol

I'm working on a Predator timeline now which is what spawned these questions in the first place.  I'm getting ready to read Hunters and Hunted then on to Hunting Grounds prequel.

Hell yeah I wanna see that SG timeline! Question, how do you handle the original movie in the rest of the lore? Like, is Abydos in the Kaliem Galaxy  or the Milky Way? Also, did you ever get a chance read the books that are direct sequels to the Film, like a totally alternate continuity from what SG1 ended up becoming? They're very rad, as long as you can separate out the divergent universes from each other in your head. I remember loving them and feeling totally threatened by the rise of the SG1 continuity.

Re: Hunters and Hunted, I recommend the Audio book for all those mindless chore times and stuff. Blackstone Publishing had been doing this cool thing where they've been having all the recent Predator novels read by James Patrick Cronin. He's not my immediate favorite but he really grows on me after a while and it really makes it feel like there's a greater sense of continuity with the world of the stories, moreso than just the stories themselves.

I just started reading Hunters and Hunted myself.

I'd be interested to see what you come up with the Predator timeline when you're done. 

Ha, oh man, you and me both. Its a complex and living creature! But fortunately the weird cross-section of Alien monster enthusiasts, survivalists, and history buffs lend a lot of specificity to the story telling and a lot of them end up being dated specifically which, as I'm sure you found yourself, takes a lot of the grunt work out of it, but it's a nice change of pace looking backwards sometimes instead of always forwards.

It's the most ambiguous of the stories that end up the most fun, and biggest pain in the ass. The latter half of "If it Bleeds" ended up being a begrudging blast. But all the loose threads from the earliest comics sting the most. I really want to know more about the modern characters from The Bloody Sands of Time! But alas, like the fabled Plateau of Leng, or the final chapters of "Crusade" they're all lost in time, like tears in rain.

Be happy to share!  Your alien universe timeline is excellent by the way!  Great work

Agreed! In spite of any suspicions to the contrary, I'm a huge fan of SM's work. Like the work of Mike & Denise Okuda, Geoff Mandel and Larry Nemecek, and Jason Fry & Daniel Wallace, before him. Research and data-collating beasts, one and all.

[Agent Aztlan]

Hey, I'm new here and I'm fond of timelines since many years.

I'm doing an Alien-AvP-Predator movies timeline since some months now, including all movies, official comics, official novels and official games... Predator: Hunting Grounds OWLF recordings and Dutch's tapes were of good help to increase it.

The question of "When does Predators take place?" is a very good question with some clues given here and there:

- PREDATORS can't be set before 2010 because the Elcan Digital Hunter scope of Isabelle was released in 2010.
- The novel "The Predator: Hunters and Hunted" happens in 2016, no mention of PREDATORS.
- Shane Black has said that THE PREDATOR is happening in 2018 and before PREDATORS. There is no mention of PREDATORS in THE PREDATOR (but there are mention or visuals of PREDATOR, PREDATOR 2 and AvP).
- There still are some conflicts in Chechnya, Afghanistan or Sierra Leone.
- The comic "Welcome to the Jungle" happens 2 weeks before PREDATORS: there is always some conflicts in Afghanistan, as we see US Armed Forces fighting Talibans.
- The novel "Predator: Stalking Shadows" happens between 1997 and 2023, there is no mention of PREDATORS.
- In May and September 2024, Weyland Corp improves the rifling technology by tripling speed and doubling accuracy of projectiles. The company also creates the first rifle capable of tracking multiple targets from over 500km away, as well as targets' health, physique and wether they can be lock down. The patterns are classified and the products are not released yet. In PREDATORS, all characters don't have this technology yet, so the movie happens logically before or years before the date of marketing.
- The game "Predator: Hunting Grounds" seems to take place in 2025, no mention of PREDATORS, and soldiers have not yet advanced Weyland weaponery.
- In 2031, the moon's terraforming begins. Since this year, humanity can live on the moon. In PREDATORS, all characters seems to be very surprise to be not on Earth, so it must happen before.

With all that, I can concluded that PREDATORS is happening between 2018 and 2031, more likely to happen between 2025 and 2031. There is no cybernetic, android, synthetic skin or hypersleep mentions in PREDATORS, so maybe around 2025-2026.

[Voodoo Magic]

There are always at the moment some conflicts in Chechnya, Afghanistan or Sierra Leone.

Give this man a stogie!

[Agent Aztlan]

There are always at the moment some conflicts in Chechnya, Afghanistan or Sierra Leone.

Give this man a stogie!

I've changed the sentence, is it better now? (English isn't my first language)

[Voodoo Magic]

There are always at the moment some conflicts in Chechnya, Afghanistan or Sierra Leone.

Give this man a stogie!

I've changed the sentence, is it better now? (English isn't my first language)

It was fine before you changed it. I was just agreeing with your statement, acknowledging it with an old American? saying "Give that man a cigar!"  Except I changed it to stogie, because, well, Arnold always says stogie.

[lightsyder]

SpaceKase,
Yet another Stargate fan on here?!  I like this place...lol!  I pretty much view the original movie like the show runners did.  It happened but not exactly in the same way as we saw on film so Abydos isn't in another galaxy.  I have the movie sequel books and comics but I've not read them.  Hicks already said I should check them out so I guess that's two votes in that column.  As for the timeline, here's a link.  Be gentle...lol

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19Nofs-Jr3WTmHroz58z3ZiJPpXhRUs1x7HTb3-_GJ7A/edit?usp=sharing

The main bulk is all centered around the TV show continuity.  It encompasses the TV shows, comics, books, games and RPG material revolving around the SGC. The first sheet includes everything and the Fandemonium Legacy novels (Atlantis Season 6).  The second is the same but with the American Mythology comics (Atlantis season 6 and Universe season 3) instead of the Legacy novels.  And the third ignores both Fandemonium and American Mythology and instead adds in the plot / script ideas that Mallozzi has shared on his blog for Atlantis and Universe as well as the Atlantis Extinction movie and the SG-1 Revelations movie.  Then the fourth is other timelines; movie sequels, Infinity and the theme park ride.  Been awhile since I worked on this one so I think I have some stuff to add still.  May have to finish it up now...

Did you watch Origins by chance?



Agent Aztlan,
That is some awesome work.  I may have to rethink the placement of Predators now.  Between you and SM I'm not sure why I'm doing this timeline project!  Oh well, great excuse to re-read the comics anyway...lol



I always viewed Nolan's comments about the Super Predators taking a special interest when prey killed one of them as a nice precursor, even if unintentional, to the plot of The Predator.  Since the Super Predators seemed kind of rogue anyway in some ways it made sense to me that they could be using the preserve planet to find good specimens to harvest DNA from.  Then the next step was experimenting on normal Predators (The Fugitive) and then on themselves.  Kind of helps make the Assassin Predator's large size make more sense, to me at least.

[Agent Aztlan]

It was fine before you changed it. I was just agreeing with your statement, acknowledging it with an old American? saying "Give that man a cigar!"  Except I changed it to stogie, because, well, Arnold always says stogie.

My bad! Thank you!

[SpaceKase]

Hey, I'm new here and I'm fond of timelines since many years.

I'm doing an Alien-AvP-Predator movies timeline since some months now, including all movies, official comics, official novels and official games... Predator: Hunting Grounds OWLF recordings and Dutch's tapes were of good help to increase it.

- PREDATORS can't be set before 2010 because the Elcan Digital Hunter scope of Isabelle was released in 2010.
[...]
- In 2031, the moon's terraforming begins. Since this year, humanity can live on the moon. In PREDATORS, all characters seems to be very surprise to be not on Earth, so it must happen before.

With all that, I can concluded that PREDATORS is happening between 2018 and 2031, more likely to happen between 2025 and 2031. There is no cybernetic, android, synthetic skin or hypersleep mentions in PREDATORS, so maybe around 2025-2026.

A laudable goal man, you're in good company, that digital rifle scope thing is a legit solid perameter and a very nice catch, the only thing I'd call into question are all your references to a lack of evidence regarding Predators. Basically, as far as anyone on Earth would be aware these are all just unexplained missing persons over the span of at least 20 years (Nolan onward). And the Shane Black comment is pretty iffy since there's so little info regarding his thoughts outside of that one comment in one interview so far, and in the case of Predators he's not even referring to his own film. So like, there's so little hard evidence to go on outside of Isabelle's recollections and that nice Scope call you made.

SpaceKase,
Yet another Stargate fan on here?!  I like this place...lol!  [...]

Yes and no, I feel like that would be too bold a claim in my case. I'm certainly a fan of the Film and the aforementioned novel series from the film's creators, and I really loved SGU actually. But, it's a biiiig franchise and I've gotta rein myself in on some stuff because, as one might note, I've got some obsession issues and its far to easy for me to fall down rabbit holes.... Or, I guess naquadah-powered wormholes.

As for the timeline, here's a link.  Be gentle...lol

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19Nofs-Jr3WTmHroz58z3ZiJPpXhRUs1x7HTb3-_GJ7A/edit?usp=sharing

That's legit man, I look forward to checking it out soon! It might be a little bit though, gotta pace myself for life preservation purposes, I've got some serious trouble with obsessive compulsions. Out of curiosity though, have you got the future stuff from the StarGate Infinity cartoon in there as well?

[...] Then the fourth is other timelines; movie sequels, Infinity and the theme park ride.  Been awhile since I worked on this one so I think I have some stuff to add still.  May have to finish it up now...

Did you watch Origins by chance?

Oh dang, I spoke too soon, there you go! I bow to your completionist diligence, sir! I'm Well impressed. I haven't gotten to check out Origins yet though, no, that's the webseries set in the 1930's right? Is it worth a watch? If so we may want to take this convo to a different thread.

[...]
I always viewed Nolan's comments about the Super Predators taking a special interest when prey killed one of them as a nice precursor, even if unintentional, to the plot of The Predator.  Since the Super Predators seemed kind of rogue anyway in some ways it made sense to me that they could be using the preserve planet to find good specimens to harvest DNA from.  Then the next step was experimenting on normal Predators (The Fugitive) and then on themselves.  Kind of helps make the Assassin Predator's large size make more sense, to me at least.

That is also an intriguing observation, I always thought of the Upgrade trio as a group of rich Yautja clan assholes who are poaching the sacred hunt worlds of other clans so they can have their own douchey private game preserve so they can shoot fish in a barrel. Kinda like the asshat elites who've got season passes to West World, or the Bohemian Grove up here in NorCal.

But this idea you present of a clan using the world as essentially a distillery to cull the best of the best and then harvest the winners genes, and l33t themselves out even more excessively, that seems sacrilegious as hell. Some real pretty 1% privileged Royal Yaut clan shit. I'm all for teaming up with the other Yautja clans to take these 'roided-out giant mutant crabf**ks down. I'm picturing the Preserve World as some elaborate gated community now...   Elysium...

(Also, we really gotta start phasing out this 'super predators' name, history will not reflect kindly on upon it, I think.)

[SM]

- PREDATORS can't be set before 2010 because the Elcan Digital Hunter scope of Isabelle was released in 2010.

That's a nice pull.  I'm curious though as they shot the film entirely in 2009?  Could it be an earlier model?

Between you and SM I'm not sure why I'm doing this timeline project! 

Because different eyes notice different things. 

[SpaceKase]

- PREDATORS can't be set before 2010 because the Elcan Digital Hunter scope of Isabelle was released in 2010.

That's a nice pull.  I'm curious though as they shot the film entirely in 2009?  Could it be an earlier model?

Maybe it's like the super future-y, cutting edge laser scopes the LAPD had on all their sidearms in Predator 2.

Garber: "Weapons of the Future! The best technology! Load 'em up, blow 'em away!"

Legends Inc: Legendary Tech, Legendary Power

[Agent Aztlan]

- PREDATORS can't be set before 2010 because the Elcan Digital Hunter scope of Isabelle was released in 2010.

That's a nice pull.  I'm curious though as they shot the film entirely in 2009?  Could it be an earlier model?

The filming started September 28 and finished November 1st 2009, and I think the scope was released in March 2010.
The production surely had access to visuals of the scope... And you know, digital is the future 

Maybe it's like the super future-y, cutting edge laser scopes the LAPD had on all their sidearms in Predator 2.

Garber: "Weapons of the Future! The best technology! Load 'em up, blow 'em away!"

Legends Inc: Legendary Tech, Legendary Power

[/u][/b]

Haha, sadly, I don't think "Drug War" is canon. On the anthology, it's written "Inspired by the events of the original Predator movies, graphic novels and novels" + "All-new tales from the Expanded Predator Universe".

[SpaceKase]

- PREDATORS can't be set before 2010 because the Elcan Digital Hunter scope of Isabelle was released in 2010.

That's a nice pull.  I'm curious though as they shot the film entirely in 2009?  Could it be an earlier model?

The filming started September 28 and finished November 1st 2009, and I think the scope was released in March 2010.
The production surely had access to visuals of the scope... And you know, digital is the future 

Maybe it's like the super future-y, cutting edge laser scopes the LAPD had on all their sidearms in Predator 2.

Garber: "Weapons of the Future! The best technology! Load 'em up, blow 'em away!"

Legends Inc: Legendary Tech, Legendary Power

[/u][/b]

Haha, sadly, I don't think "Drug War" is canon. On the anthology, it's written "Inspired by the events of the original Predator movies, graphic novels and novels" + "All-new tales from the Expanded Predator Universe".

Your canon or mine, joker?! Sheeeit, boy...

[lightsyder]

SpaceKase,
I get the obsessive urge to consume all parts of a franchise all too well.  It's taking all my willpower not to mass buy Predator comics and novels I've missed these last few years.  If you liked Universe you should check out the season 3 comic American Mythology did.  Not great by any means but it does try and move the story forward.  Sadly it seems they will not being doing any more of them.  But you can get a TPB on Amazon for like $20 i think.

As for Origins, yeah its the 1930s series that was online for awhile.  It's not bad, definitely works better watched as one movie instead of weekly 10 minute episodes.  It tries to be a prequel to both the movie and SG-1 but it has some issues which the fans jumped all over real quick.  Sadly the MGM site did have some Mission Files that were released after each webisode that did a great job tieing all three together and clearing up the issues.  I'm sure those are gone now as the Stargate Command service is long gone.  Luckily I archive this kind of stuff so I have copies...lol.  Anyway, worth a watch.  I think it might be on Prime and iTunes to buy / rent.  But, like you said, we can continue this discussion via PM or in another thread so as to not bore everyone else!  lol


The Super Predators being 1% Yautja jerks is a hilarious idea!  And I agree, they need a better name for sure.  Be nice is NECA expaned their lore some more but I doubt they have any releases for them planned.  Not much else to do with them unless they make some of the unproduced Kenner Predators part of their group.  Hopefully Hunting Grounds keeps building the lore and connecting the dots like they've done so far.



SM
Very true, in this thread alone we've seen numerous takes on the placement of just two movies, all of which have valid evidence backing them up.



As for canon discussions, well, those can get lively!  I always try to cram everything that doesn't contradict other stuff too much in for completionists sake.

[SpaceKase]

SpaceKase,
I get the obsessive urge to consume all parts of a franchise all too well.  It's taking all my willpower not to mass buy Predator comics and novels I've missed these last few years.

Don't fight that feeling! Give in to your darkside. Just don't read them all too quickly, because once you get caught up to early 2020... gratification becomes painfully delayed... Everything put out in recent years has been too cool. But let me know if you find any decently priced copies of the four "Dark Horse Press" Predator novels, I've been itching to check them out for soooo long.

If you liked Universe you should check out the season 3 comic American Mythology did.  Not great by any means but it does try and move the story forward.  Sadly it seems they will not being doing any more of them.  But you can get a TPB on Amazon for like $20 i think.

Egads, i took one look at the art and ran the other way. My poor little heart can only take so much. It's like the disastrous graphic novel adaptation of The No Home Boys all over again... Its all too soon, just too soon.

As for Origins [...] we can continue this discussion via PM or in another thread so as to not bore everyone else!  lol

Yeah man, I look forward to checking it out. Start up a thread and you know I'll be piping in, until then, Keep it real, Jaffa.

The Super Predators being 1% Yautja jerks is a hilarious idea!  And I agree, they need a better name for sure.  Be nice is NECA expaned their lore some more but I doubt they have any releases for them planned.  Not much else to do with them unless they make some of the unproduced Kenner Predators part of their group.  Hopefully Hunting Grounds keeps building the lore and connecting the dots like they've done so far.

Mad agreed! Is all the NECA lore detailed and collected somewhere? Besides just along with the figures, I mean?

[lightsyder]

The Super Predators being 1% Yautja jerks is a hilarious idea!  And I agree, they need a better name for sure.  Be nice is NECA expaned their lore some more but I doubt they have any releases for them planned.  Not much else to do with them unless they make some of the unproduced Kenner Predators part of their group.  Hopefully Hunting Grounds keeps building the lore and connecting the dots like they've done so far.

Mad agreed! Is all the NECA lore detailed and collected somewhere? Besides just along with the figures, I mean?

We started a thread in the predator merchandise sub forum to post the card backs and other goodies in.  Some of them, especially the Kenner homages, have some good bios.  And apparently it's all part of the predator lore book with the exception of the Alpha Predator bio.